A BRIEFE COLlection of the Church, Gathered by T.S.
THE name of the church is in greeke [...], whiche worde is also taken out of an other Greek word [...], which signifieth to call a man from one place, or state of life to another. And we doe finde in the holy scriptures that there are two kinds of calling. 1 The one is ioyned with the efficacie, power, and worke of the holy ghost. Of which kinde of calling, the Apostle doth speake in the Epistle to the Romans, where he saith, that God doth iustifie them, whom he hath called. Rom. 8. 2 The other calling is of lesse force, & efficacie, because men are deafe, and dul, such as wil not heare, nor vnderstande. Of this kinde of calling doth [Page 8] the Lorde Iesus spake, saying, Manie are called, but few are chosen. This name Church, Matt. 20. therefore, in the cause which we haue in hande, doth signifie the companie of them which are called, and gathered together by the voice of God, who doth by his owne word call them. In the which company we do see two sorts of men. For, taking y e word Church generally to comprehende all them which are called, and doe make an outwarde profession to obey the voyce of God, wherby they are called, doubtles among them many hypocrites are to be founde, and reprobates; as both the holy scripture speaketh of the Church, and experience doth declare to be true. But if you will take this worde Church more properly, and straitly, as oftentime it is to be taken; then wee must say, that it signifieth only the assembly of the elect of God, and of those his children, whom God hath predestinate [Page 9] to life euerlasting.
This church is called, and is the body of Christ, members of his bodie, bone of his bones, and flesh of his flesh. In which number the reprobate cannot be conteyned; For they are the members of the diuel. It is vnpossible for one to be a member of Christ, and a member of the diuel at one time; as Augustine well noteth. Lib. 2. cont. Cresc. ca. 21.
This distinction of the name of the church the same father vseth, writing vppon the threescore and fourth Psalme, when he sayeth, that the Church, which is signified by Hierusalem, had the beginning in Abel; and that which is signified by Babylon, did begin in Cain. And yet in his booke written of baptisme against the Donatistes, Lib. 1. ca. 16. taking this word Church in the more general significatiō, he sayeth, that it is it, which engendred Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, & y e Prophets; [Page 10] & also that it engendred Cain, Ismael, Dathan, and such other like to them. To conclude this matter, let vs take that which Augustine writeth in that same treatise; Lib. 7. ca. 19. & that other place which is taken out of Hierome, and is cited in the decrees 24. Q. 1. Omnibus consideratis; where it is said, that there are two sortes, or manners of men in the Church: One sort are the members of Christ, and the verie true Church; and are in such sort of the house of God, that they are the house of god it selfe: whereby it may be gathered that the other sort are in the house of God, but are not of it at all; They are as chaffe mingled with the Wheate, vntill they be fanned out of it. Hereof nowe will arise this question; Visibilitie of the Church. that is, whether the church be visible, or not. Truely God alone doth know thē, which are his electe; and we do professe that we doe beleeue the holy Church. But a man is not [Page 11] saide properly to beleeue that, which hee seeth. For beleefe is of thinges not seene, but of such thinges as God hath promised, though they bee not seene with the bodilie eye. Nowe of visibilitie I say, that as Christ Iesus our Lorde, beeing in the worlde to worke the worke of our saluation, was visible in the glorie, and maiestie of the true Messiah; so is his true Church visible in the worlde. Iohn. 17. For as hee was in the world, so are they which are his; that is, his true Church, in the worlde; so seene, and visible, that the children of God, the verie elect of God, are both illuminate to see it, & to ioyn themselues to it; as Simeon, Anna, Zacharie, and other, did see, and ioyne themselues to the person of Messiah. So did that blinde man, which was cured, as we doe reade in the gospell. Iohn. 9. Iohn. 4. Likewise did y e simple woman whō Christ Iesus did vouchsafe to teach [Page 12] in the same Gospell, see more of the glorie, and maiestie of the true Messiah in the person of Iesus, than did al the bishops, priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, which caryed the countenance, and credit of the Church among mē. And as Obadiah did see, 1. Reg. 18. and ioyne himselfe to the true Church of God, in the darke dayes of Achab: It is also so visible, that satan is suffred to espie it, and by his members to persecute it; euen as hee did the person of our Lorde Iesus, who is the heade of his true Church. If men wil not content themselues with this sight, but will haue their sight satisfied after their fansie, with a visible, & worldly glorie of a church in this worlde, more visible than Christ himselfe was, whose Church in this worlde shall haue, and bee in the same condition that himselfe had in it; let these men take heede that they doe not fall into the lappe of the whoore of [Page 13] Babylon, and take her for the church of Christ. For y e whore of Babylon hath her glorious visibilitie in the worlde; shee is visible, & that in great worldly pompe, & glorie. Now thē some will say, to what companie, or church thē shal I ioyn my self? how shal I know, & finde that church, in which I may heare, & receiue the doctrine of saluation? yea, if the church be inuisible, so y t we cannot see it, we cānot heare the doctrin therof, we shal not come to the true knowledge of GOD to worship him, nor yet of our dutie to our king, nor our rulers; nor yet how we are bownde to obeye them. I answere that though the church be invisible in that respect y t I haue spoken off, yet when it commeth in question to what company or church we shuld ioyn our selues, we haue certein sure markes to directe vs rightly in this doubt. These markes are, The open, Markes. and true preaching of the worde of [Page 14] God; and The sounde administration of the holy Sacramentes; which markes are playne and apparant. Wheresoeuer these marks are, without doubt we are bounde to beleeue that there the true Church is: and that companie wee ought to esteeme to bee the faithfull Church, which doth professe the religion of the Lord our God, as it is taught in his holy word. Thus the Apostle doth call the companie dwelling in Corinth; and the Galathians, faithfull, and Sainctes; and giueth vnto them the name of the Church in generall; although there were amonge them great faultes, aswell in ignorance of doctrine, as corruption of life. Which thing also he taught, 1. Cor. 3. when hee saide that all they, which did holde the foundation, did not alwayes builde vpon it golde, or siluer, or precious stones, but also stubble, and hay. Thus wee speake of the Church in sounde, and substantiall trueth.
[Page 15]We doe not make of it a fantasticall thing, conceiued onely by imagination; neither are we carried away in the fonde conceites of the Donatistes, or Catharians; nor in the furious frensies of the Anabaptistes. Let mee therefore nowe speake somewhat of the marks, & witnesses of y e Church; which ought well to bee knowne, & marked, because by them we may be directed rightly to that Church, in which saluation is to be had. Neither is there any one thing, by which Sathan our olde enemie doeth labour more to deceiue men, then by the title, & wrong opinion of the Church. There are two marks, (as I said) most certaine, and infallible, by which the true Church is knowne, and discerned from all other conuenticles, and assemblies of men. 1 The first is, the pure preaching of the worde of God. 2 The second is, the sincere administration of the holy Sacramentes. To [Page 16] these some haue ioyned the true discipline, and the fruite of obedience to the gospell preached. And in truth there ought to be such a christian policie for the gouernement of the church, as the lorde of the church, Christ Iesus hath ordeined; & such obedience shewed to the gospell, as it commaundeth. But because the abounding & force of our sinnes are such, that often times these two last things do not so fully apeare in their maiestie, and excellencie, as they ought to doe; therefore we doe rest our selues vpon the two first named markes. The preaching of the word is a most sure, and certeine marke, & token of y e true church of Christ; And therefore the preaching of the gospell is compared to the seede sowen; Matt. 13. and by the preaching of y e gospell, it is sayd, 1. Cor. 4. that the Corinthians were begotten vnto God. For this cause also is the preaching of the [Page 17] gospell called the pasture, in which the children of God do feede; It is the nurriture, with which they are nourished; And Christ Iesus sayeth, My sheepe do heare my voice: Ioan. 10. and that they do not heare the voice of a strā ger. Yea Christ teacheth vs how by hearing, and not hearing the worde of God, wee shall know them which are of God: For he sayeth, Ioan. 8. He that is of God, heareth Gods words. Ye therefore heare them not, because ye are not of God. They which are of God, doe heare, receiue, and obey his worde; they are his true church. They which do not heare, nor receiue his worde, are not of God, are not his true church. 2 The second sure tokē of the true church, is the sincere administration of the holy sacramēts. For it is y e good pleasure of God, to call, & feed his flock, not onely by the voice of his gospel, and worde sounding in their eares, but also by mouing their eyes, and [Page 18] other senses bodily. And therfore he ordeyned that his sacraments should be certein witnesses, & visible seales of the vnion of his childrē with him selfe, & of one of them with another. And this was one cause, why it was sayd to y e people of God, Gen. 17. that he that was vncircumcised, should be rooted out from among y e people of god. To this end also did all y e heads of housholds apere at y e least three times in y e yeare before the Lord in Hierusalem, to testifie by their sacrifices their vnion in faith and religion. Now after y e wall of separation was brokē down, which was between the Iewes & the Gentiles; they both, the Iewes (I say) & the Gentiles, are brought into one body, not only by the preaching of y e one gospel of Iesus to them both, but also by administring to them the Sacramēts, which the lord Iesus hath ordeyned; that is, Baptisme, & the sacrament of his body & bloud.
[Page 19]Iesus sayde to his Apostles: Matth. 28 Goe teache all nations, baptising them in the name of the father, the sonne, and of the holy Ghoste. Here is enioyned both the teaching of the gospel of Iesus, & also the ministring of the sacrament of Baptisme. And with the ministerie of baptisme, is the administration of that other sacrament to be ioined, which S. Paul did also ioyne in his ministerie, 1. Cor. 11 when he did so deliuer y e holy supper, as he had receiued the same of the Lord. Thus is the church grounded vpō the foundation of the Prophets, & Apostles; that is, euen vpon Iesus Christ him selfe, who is the verie substance of the doctrine Propheticall, and Apostolicall. And this is it that S. Paul teacheth, when he sayeth that the Church is the piller of the trueth. For the worde of God, 1. Tim. 3 which is the trueth, as Christ sayeth, Ioan. 17 doth sustaine, & vphold the Church, as Chrysostom expoundeth that place.
[Page 20]And to this purpose serueth that, which olde father Irene writeth: Iren. lib 3 cap. 11. Columna, & firmamentū Ecclesiae est Euangelium, & spiritus vitae: The piller, and the buttresse of the church, is the gospell, and the spirite of life. The gospell is the ground, on which the true church is planted and set. Likewise the church doeth staye it selfe onely vpon the worde of God, & is stayed by it; without which worde the church could neither be a true churche of Christ, nor be stayed in him. By the ministerie of the church the trueth is spread abroad vppon the earth among men. The true church of Christ doeth truely teach, & publish the gospell of Christ, which is y e trueth. The trueth & worde of God is placed in the church, as in a sure & well knowen place. For God doeth by it shew his power to saue al them which do beleeue. Rom. 1. These are therefore the true, and infallible markes of [Page 21] the church; which is for this cause called the mother of the beleeuers, which are engendred, and nourished in it by this true, and vncorrupted pasture, and foode. Nowe if there be the saide preaching of the worde of God, and syncere administration of the holy sacraments, it must needs followe, that there are also pastors, and teachers, to whome this charge of teaching & administration is cō mitted. And this is the cause, why some haue added to these marks this, as a third marke of the church; that is, the ordinarie succession of these pastors and ministers, from the time of the Apostles till nowe. In deede such a succession is greatly to be liked, regarded, and embraced; but so, that this succession be rightly considered, examined, explicated, and applyed to the purpose. And so did many of the auncient fathers ayde them selues much against the heretikes, [Page 22] which did start vp in their dayes; as Irene, Tertullian, and Augustine did against the Marcionites, Manichees, and Donatistes. But because some men do vse this matter of succession as a weapon against vs, as though we were newe heretikes, & deuisers of newe doctrines; therefore you shall knowe what wee doe thinke, touching this matter of succession. Succession. We saye that there are two kindes of succession; 1 The one is of doctrine; 2 The other is of persons. Touching the succession of doctrin, we holde that it is an vnfallible rule, and marke of the true church: But as touching the succession personall, wee do allowe it vppon this condition, that it be ioyned with the doctrine of the Prophets, and Apostles in the substanciall pointes thereof. Wee speake of doctrine, and not of manners. For though there be required in a true pastor sound doctrin [Page 23] and godly life; yet it may be through some ignorance, that a pastor may fayle in some such point of doctrine, as is not a substantiall point of the doctrine perteining to our saluation, whome we will, that notwithstanding, accompt as a true pastor, so that he holde the foundation sure, and soundly. Likewise, though he doe faile in some point of manners, and doe become faultie, yet wee will esteeme him as a pastor, and teacher, if he doe teach soundly.
Wee are taught thus to doe by the saying of our sauiour Iesus Christe, who teacheth vs to heare the Scribes and Pharisees, Matth. 23. which doe sit in Moses chaire. Wee must doe that which they teache; but we must not doe that which they do. Which sentence, Tract. 46 Augustine writing vpon the gospell of Saint Iohn, openeth thus; That it is to bee vnderstanded of hyrelings, which do teach sounde [Page 24] doctrine; and that it is not to be vnderstanded of false teachers. For of them, Christ sayde: Beware of the leauen of the Pharises. They which do sit in Moses chaire (sayth Augustine) do teach the lawe of God; and God doeth teach the people by them: But if they will teach their owne doctrines, heare them not, do not as they teache. The same thing doeth Augustine in an other place handle; that is, De verbïs Domini, Serm. 49. Because false teachers may succeed the true in the teaching place, and so the wolues may succede good sheapheardes; we do not therfore receiue and allowe all personall succession. For this kinde of succession may giue a cloke to falshod, if the succession of doctrin be not ioyned to it, as the foundation thereof. Moreouer those men, which will holde the succession personall, simply, and of it selfe alone, to be a true, & infallible mark of the true church; [Page 25] these men must shewe vs some promise of God, by which hee hath promised to binde his grace to those certaine seates, places, and countries, that in them shoulde be such a sure, and continuall succession of holy men, & Bishoppes succeeding one an other.
This promise we finde not in the newe Testament. Wee learne there that Christe will alwayes haue his christian, catholike, and vniuersall church; the particular members, and partes whereof are dispersed, & scatered abroade throughout the whole vniuersall worlde; as it pleaseth God to exercise his iudgementes vppon them, whome either he cutteth off for euer, or on them whome he doth chastice, and afflict for a time, and to enlarge his mercies vpon them, whō hee leadeth from good to better; or that hee doeth call some of them anewe to the true knowledge of himselfe. For sometimes the Lord God [Page 26] shewing foorth his iust vengeaunce, doeth so cast downe, and cutt of all, that hee will not leaue so much as a trace of his true church in a place; as sometimes he did in Iurie; and is in our time come to passe in Barbarie. In some other place he doth so destroy, that yet hee leaueth there some little trace, and token of a church; as now we may see in al Graecia, and in some other places also more neare to vs. 1 Sometimes also the Lorde doeth cut off the personal succession of Pastors, by the fault, corruption, negligence, and sluggishnesse of y e Pastors themselues; 2 or by such violence, as is vsed against those pastors which are good 1 Of the firste wee may take example of the church of Antioche, in which Samosatenus an euill heretike did thorowe corruption and ouersight succeede good fathers going before him. 2 Of the seconde, the church of Alexandria may giue vs an example; out [Page 27] of which, when good Athanasius was banished, Arians did succeed. The like is to be seene also in moe other churches, by him that will marke the histories of the church. Such a cutting off, and breaking of personall succession was euen in the church of Rome, more than once or twise; As when Honorius the first of that name, being Pope, and Bishoppe there, was condemned for partaking with the horrible heresie of Eutiches, about the yeare of our Lorde 623. And when Iohn, the xxii. of that name, was by a general coūcel condēned for heresie. Likewise was the personal successiō cut off in Rome, when y t womā Pope, Anno Do. 854. whom in her popedome, they called Iohn, who before was called Agnes, was Bishoppe of Rome; as Ioannes Chemensis Episcopus doeth report in his booke intituled Onus Ecclesiae. So was it cutt off also in the person of Siluester the seconde; and of Gregorie [Page 28] the seuenth; and in a number of such necromanticall Popes. Likewise it was cut off in the times of the romish schismes; and when schismaticall Popes, who were in those schismes, helde the helme, and did sit (as they say) in Peters chaire; when Pope was against Pope, euen in Rome; & one Pope cursing an other Pope; chalenging to each of them Peters chaire, & that for the space of many yeares. And sometimes they all, that thus chalenged, were turned out of the seat of Rome, and that by decree of a generall councel; As at Constance three Popes were vnpoped at once; and at Basill one. This proueth sufficiently the of cutting of the personall succession in the Popes, and Bishoppes of Rome. To this also may be added the tragedies, which Pope played against Pope, from the time of pope Formosus, which was about the yeare 893. vntill the time of Pope Leo, the [Page 29] viii. of that name. The wise reader shal easily perceiue how Pope sought to cutt off Pope, both in person and proceedings; one condemning that which an other had decreed; besides cruelties exercised on the bodyes of some of them being deade. This schisme in the church of Rome is noted haue bene verie long, & therewith most cruell. So that if there were want of other helpes, the Popes themselues haue holpen vs plentifully, to see how the personall succession in the church of Rome hath beene cut off by Popes themselues. The cruel, and popelike tragedies in Rome doe so displease the Papistes themselues, that one of them, Fascicul. temp. writing the history of this time, bursteth out into this exclamation: O most cursed times! Nauclet. to. 2. And one other hath it in horror, to report howe many things were wickedly done by no fewer thā 28. popes, one succeeding an other. Let the godly [Page 30] reader also wey what cutting of ther was of this personall succession, whē by y e pott of poyson, Pope after pope was cutt off by that cunning poysoner Brazutus; which yet at the length, made some stay in one of the worst y t euer did sit at Rome, Gregorie the seuenth; as no lesse man of credite than a Cardinall doth write. Beno. So that, if either cutting off persons, or cutting off the doctrines, & degres of popes, may bee taken to bee a cutting off the personall succession in Rome, then was it cutt off many yeares since. Therefore without looking to this personal successiō, which doth oftē, and by many occasions faile, a godly christian may full well know the true church of Christ. And so shall he doe, if hee will obserue when, and where the true doctrine of God is taught, and the syncere administration of the holy Sacramentes is obserued. They are to be taken for the successors [Page 31] of the Apostles, which being lawefully called to this ministerie, do build vpon the foundation of the Apostles, and doe enter into their labours; whether they haue among thē a personal succession in perpetuitie, or y t it hath bene cut off for a time; or that themselues bee the first that preach the Gospell in the place to which they are called to exercise the office of a true minister of Christes church. And on y e contrary part, those pastors in place, which do not preach the gospell of God at all; or which, in steade of preaching the doctrine of the Apostles, do preach their own doctrine by themselues inuented; though they doe alleadge a thousand of their predecessors, which folowed one an other in personall succession, yet are they not to bee taken for true pastors, but are wolues, and so to be takē; neither are they, nor can they be reputed, nor taken to bee the true [Page 32] pastors of Christs church, how largly soeuer they account of personall succession. His worde is not in their mouthes; neither are the congregations, which are misseled with such wolues, to bee taken to bee the true church of Christ. For the true church of Christ doeth not heare the voyce of a stranger. But this misseled church doeth both heare, and receiue the voyce of a straunger, and straunge doctrines; They haue not the worde of Christ taught; They wil not heare it, neither will they haue his holy Sacramentes syncerely administred to them. If any man wil aske whether it be lawful for euery mā y t wil, of his own priuate authoritie to preach the gospell, & to minister the holy sacramentes; I aunswere, no truely: For all thinges in the house of God must be done in good and comely order, as the Apostle doth teach vs. 1. Cor. 14. Who then (will you say) are the verie true [Page 33] pastors, and teachers? Euen they, which are lawfully called to that office, and doe it faithfully. Now then we must knowe, what a lawfull calling is. There is a forme, Of calling or maner of calling ordinarie: Ther is also a form or maner of calling extraordinarie. That is rightly ordinarie, in which that order is obserued, which God hath established in his worde and church. 1 In this order is first right assigning of men to do the office truly; to which by the worde of God they are called. 2 Then a triall must be had of their habilitie in doctrine, and examination of life. 3 Then a lawfull election, or choosing; Last of all followeth the imposition of handes. This is to be seene by the example of the practise of the Apostles themselues. For so was Mathias chosen, So were y e Deacons chosen: And hereto do those rules serue, which S. Paul doth giue in his Epistles writē to Timothie [Page 34] and to Titus, touching the admission of church ministers. You see nowe what the ordinarie calling is; out of which we may easily gather, what the extraordinary calling, or vocation is; which hauing an authoritie from God is lawfull, notwithstanding that one, or two pointes, appertayning to an ordinarie calling, bee wanting in it. The Lord hath oftentimes vsed the seruice of men called to the ministerie of the word, by such an extraordinary calling, as appeareth by the holy scriptures. Moses had no ordinarie calling by men. Iirmiah, Ionas had none. Daniel, Amos, and diuerse other of the Prophetes, had no ordinarie calling by men; and yet the Lord God called these men, & such like, to the ministerie of y e word; whē they which kept the place of the ordinary calling, did abuse y e same. Thē (I say) then God vsed to lay to his hand extraordinarily to the worke, [Page 35] which they that had their ordinarie calling, did not onely neglecte, but bring into ruine. Thus the Lord god himself did; and yet he did not bring any disorder, or confusion into his house by this meane: But thus did he to correct, and reforme, that confusiō & disorder, which was brought into his house, by them, which, vnder the colour of ordinarie succession, did ouerthrowe all good order, & peruerted it. This doth the writings of the prophets witnes, in which the priests are chiefely reproued. If you will say that the men, whome the Lorde did thus call extraordinarily, had yet some outwarde, & miraculous testimonie of this their heauenly calling; It is so in deed of some; but it was not so in all. I doe not finde that many of the Prophets did come of the race of Aaron; nor that the ordinarie imposition of handes was layde vppon them; Nor that they testified [Page 36] their vocation, and calling, by working straung signes, and miracles. If you will say that these prophetes, & teachers, which had this extraordinarie calling, did content themselues with that part of the church office, which is to teach, and to reprooue; but they did not meddle with the sacrifices; This is not altogether true. For Samuel who was not of the stock of Aaron, 1. Sam. 7. did sacrifice in Mizpah, as it is written. And Eliah beeing a Galaadite, did sacrifice in Carmel. 1. Reg. 18. Again, it is no maruel, if the prophets of that time did not extende their commission of their extraordinary calling, to circumcise, and sacrifice; for that was the charge, and priuiledge then expressely committed to y e stock of Leui for that time. Thus you heare what is the church, and what bee the markes thereof, and what is to bee thought of the vocation, or calling of the Pastors and teachers of the [Page 37] church. And thus doe wee at this present approue our christian church, & the ministers thereof by the rule of Gods word. Tom. 4. fol. 160. And in this behalfe doth that make for vs, which Augustine writeth in his booke of 65. questions, and in the last question; where he teacheth, that wee shall knowe that he is sent of God, who is not chosen by y e flatterie of a fewe men; but he, whō life, good manners, and the doing of the Apostolike Priests do commend; who seeketh not to be aloft, but to be profitable to others. Of the authoritie of the church Nowe let vs come to the authoritie of the church, and speake a little thereof. It doth appeare by that which is said before, y t wee do not take away any thing of those high, and glorious titles, whiche the holy ghost doeth giue vnto it. We say, that it is the body of Christ; but so, that part thereof is yet in pilgrimage, looking for the full inioying of the heade Iesus Christ.
[Page 38]This is the house of God, which hee doth dayly builde, so that it groweth stil more and more. It is gouerned by the spirit of God, stil fighting against the fleshe. It is purified, but so that it is by little and little brought towards that perfection of beauty, in which is neither blemish nor I pot. It knoweth God truely, but yet in part. In which kinde of speaches, I doe vse the very wordes of the holy scripture. Out of this Church is no saluation: For life and saluation is no where else but in Christ Iesus alone, and onely; neither doeth the Lorde Iesus powre foorth his quickning power, & grace, but onely vpon his owne members. The vnion and assembling of them together in their head Iesus, is called, and is y e true church of Christ. If you aske me whether this church being in this worlde, can erre; and whether it be in authority aboue the holy scripture, or else it be subiecte to the holy [Page 39] word of God; Howe the Church may erre. To the first I answere that it is out of doubt, that the members of the church, counting each one by himselfe in particular, may erre; And y t there are of them, which do erre in doctrine & maners of life. For they knowe but in part, 1. Cor. 13. as S. Paul saith. And Iohn saith, 1. Iohn. 1. If we do say that we haue no sinne, we do deceiue our selues: And in this number we may, and do recken the olde doctors. For many faultes are to be founde in them; and therefore they are not to be receiued in al things without exception. Thus doe we thinke of the members of the church in particular; whose imperfections doe not so prevaile, but that of them knitte together in trueth, is made a true church. For they do by little and little growe, and goe forwarde in the knowledge of God, and of his trueth, and holinesse of life. But if wee will consider the partes of the Church more generally, [Page 40] as it is diuided into diuerse Diocesses, and Prouinces, we say playnely that it may erre. Card. Lotha. It is also confessed by one of the chiefe capitaines standing for the Pope his Lorde, that particular churches, and prouinciall Synodes may erre, and haue oftentimes erred. Which thing long experience hath prooued true. Let vs then consider the church in the vniuersalitie thereof, which is (as some say) considered in that it is in a generall councell represented. There is no cause why we shoulde thinke y t all the power, and giftes which the holy ghost doeth bestowe vpon the vniuersall church, shoulde be restrayned to a certaine number of prelates, gathered together in a generall councell, which are not alwayes the best learned, nor the best men which are in the whole chuch, although they doe there represent the whole multitude of them, which did sende [Page 41] them thither. For it falleth out often times that a simple man shalbe founde to haue better vnderstanding than the greatest man in the whole assembly. Panormitan. Which caused one famous Canonist to write vppon the chapter Significasti, tit. de Electionibus, that sometime more credite is to be giuen to one priuate man, beeing a faithfull man, and who hath on his side better authoritie & reason, than is to be giuen to the whole Councell, or to the Pope him selfe. And in that great, and first Councel of Nice, it was long of one poore Paphnutius that y e lawe of sole life, which since y t time hath brought much filthinesse into the church, was not then established. Againe, when shall there so generall a Councell be assembled, in which a great number of learned, & holy men, are not left out of the Councell? And who can assure vs, but that they, which are absent, may [Page 42] not sometime haue more vnderstanding of a trueth, than they all, which are present at the Councell? It is also wel known how long time now an horrible confusion hath reigned in y e church, & that chiefely in the greatest dignitie of the prelacie. So that y e greatest desolation in y e house of god hath ben, & is, by the means of them, by whome it should haue been best furnished. Which hath caused some bishops & churchmen to cast foorth many grieuous sighes, & cōplaints, most cleare, and so lowde, that wee do yet heare the sound of them. It is knowne also that complaints hereof haue passed the penne of the Pope himselfe at sometimes, Pope Hadrian. 6. & haue slipped out of the mouthes of Popish Bishops at many times; as y e bookes of the Councels doe testifie. Bernard also in his bookes of Consideration, & in his sermon, which he made vpon the conuersion of saint Paul, speaketh [Page 43] both openly and truely; Alas Lorde (saith he) they, which do loue the first, & chiefe places in the church, and to beare the chiefe rule in it, are the first which do persecute thee. They haue taken the Arke of Sion; they haue taken the castell, and afterward haue set the whole citie on fire. By this wee may see that they which then had the highest, and most principall places in the church, were farre out of order. The same men doe holde and will holde the same places still. Now surely the generall Councels at y e time, which were, & haue ben gathered of such persons, so euill qualified, haue not ben so conducted by y e holy ghost, but that they might erre. And euen so the whole vniuersitie of Paris did think, & iudge of the Councell holdē at Rome by Pope Leo the tenth of y e name; & therfore they apealed frō him, & his said Councel. Againe, if a generall Councell hath receyued this priuiledge, that it can [Page 44] not erre in doctrine, let vs knowe of what date this priuiledge is, and when it was giuen. There was yet neuer but one true faith; But there haue beene many errours. For euen in the church, which was in the olde testament, the Prophets doe tell vs plainly, and the histories of that time do proue, that there were errours, and foule faults among them, which should haue beene the teachers of the trueth. Isay. 56.10 All their watchmen (sayth the Prophete I say) are blinde; they knowe not thing; Iirm. 6.13 they are all dumme dogges. The Prophet Iirmiah sayth, From the Prophet to the Priest, all do deale falsely.
And because these reproofes should not be restrained to the particular liues and manners of men, he sayeth plainly, Iir. 14.14. They do prophesie false things, & a lying vision. Isai 29.14 Againe, Isay sayth, that the wisedome of the wise shall perish, and the vnderstanding of the prowde shall vanish: and that God will stop the eyes of the [Page 45] Prophets, euen of the chiefe of them. The Prophet Ezechiel sayeth, Ezech. 7. that the lawe shall perish through the Priest; that is, through the fault of the Priest. And in deede who did condemne the true Prophets, and seruants of the liuing God Iirmiah, Micheah, and other; yea, euen the verie sonne of God him self, and after him his Apostles? who did this, but the assemblies, & Councels of the prelats, which were in those dayes? If you will saye, These things happened in the olde Testament; that cannot warrant our times. 2. Pet. 2. For first the time of the newe Testament is not priuiledged from hauing of such false teachers. Saint Peter telleth vs plainly that, as there were false Prophets in the olde time, so there should be in the time after him.
Furthermore of the time of the newe Testament S. Paul speaketh plainly, Act. 20. that, euen in our time of the newe Testament, Wolues shall come out of the midst [Page 46] of the pastors. And in another place, That the child of perdition shall sit in the temple of God. 2. Thess. 2. And in conferring the Councelles together, the one with the other, wee shall finde such contrarieties in them, that it will easily appeare, that they did not alwayes heare, and obey the holy ghost; but that Satan transforming him selfe into the forme of an Angel of light, hath ruled, and ouerruled in some generall Councels: Aug. lib. 2. de baptis. contra Donatist. cap. 31. Augustine saith, that the Epistles of particular Bishoppes are corrected by prouinciall Councels; and that prouinciall Councels are corrected by the generall, The former amended by the later; when as by more experience had of things, that, which was before secret, and vnknowen, is made more knowen; and that which was hidden, is brought to light. Neither is this rule to be restrained to such exterior things as may be altered, & changed, [Page 47] as the necessitie of the time doth require. This worde (Emendari) which Augustine doeth vse, presupposeth a fault committed, and afterwarde amended, be it in doctrine or maners. And Augustine doth not speake there of any external policie, but of a point of doctrine; that is of the opinion of Ciprian, & of the Councel of Afrique, touching rebaptising. If you wil say, that our Sauiour Iesus hath promised to be in y e midst of two, or three, which are gathered together in his name; therfore he wil be in the midst of a general Councel; This may wel be presumed; but there is a difference between a presumption, & a necessary conclusion. For since the malice of men proceedeth so farre often times, euen to abuse the most holy name of God to fortifie falshod; such mē may haue God in their mouth, which are his enimies in their hearts.
The weaknesse of y e vnderstanding [Page 48] of men is such, that it is often seene howe corrupt affections do blinde their eyes, and mindes, so that hee which hath none other foundation, but the aduise of men, is more often in danger to be deceiued, than otherwise. Is then the doctrine of the church vncerteine? (will ye saye) or can the church erre? Of the erring of the church I haue alreadie spoken, therfore vnto the first question I answere thus. The doctrine which the Lorde our God hath deliuered to be the doctrine of his church, is moste certeine and sure. But because men do yet knowe but in parte, as Saint Paul sayeth; in this respect somtime errour is mingled with the trueth in the knowledge of men. This is true, that the Lorde our God will not suffer that the substantiall pointes of trueth, touching our saluation, shall alwayes be buryed in the whole church; but the Lord will haue alwayes [Page 49] some number in it, sometime litle, sometime great, which shal vnderstand that, which they ought to vnderstande; and follow that, which they ought to followe. So did it come to passe in the time of the Prophet Eliah in Israel; and in the captiuitie of Babylon; and also in the time of the comming of our sauiour Christ. For euen then was founde a number, though but a litle number of them, whose hearts were touched with the knowledge and taste of trueth; as Zacharie, Elizabeth, Iohn the Baptist, Ioseph, the virgin Marie, Simeon, Anna. These did knowe, and had the right, and sure vnderstanding of the certein fulfilling of the prophecies of the comming of the promised Sauiour. And yet they liued in the midst of the corruptiōs of the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadduces, & priestes. Such interruptions of open professing the trueth, happen in the church of God, [Page 50] proceeding of the iniquitie of men, as a thick mist, which after vanisheth away by the heat of the Sunne of the doctrine; I meane of the worde of God; when it pleaseth God, according to his secrete ordinance, iudgement, & wisedome, to suffer y e same Sunne of his worde to shine foorth with power, & maiestie, then trueth is seen, embraced, & professed of the elect children of God. Thinke you now y t we will, or that we doe reiect al the old Councels? Nay verily; but this I say, that, if all the rules giuen in the eldest & best of them, were put in execution at this daye, they woulde make a greater change in the popish or Romish church (called catholike) than they would or could doe in the church, which is nowe reformed by the gospell of Iesus. But let the holy word of God be the touchestone, to trye & examine all that is sayde, or done in the church, and then it will [Page 51] be easily seene where the true church is. Count not this a straunge thing that I require; For it is an olde saying, receiued before our times, of the most catholike doctors.
Augustine writing to Maximinus the Arrian, Li. 2. ca. 14 Is there any generall Councell more allowed or approued than that first Councell, which was holden at Nice? I trowe not (sayeth he.) And what is y t Councell which was holden at Ariminum? It was a Councell reiected, & condemned for good cause. Augustine there handleth a principall point of our Christian faith; that is, the diuinitie of Christ our Lord, & Sauiour; And yet Augustine saith y t for his part, he wil not be boūd to y e Nicene councell; neither wil he haue y e Ariā bound to the Councell holden at Ariminum; but he wil haue y e matter tried by the holy scriptures, which are the meetest witnesses for both partes. It [Page 52] may be that these Romish mē, which doe runne away from the scriptures, will say that there is great darknesse in the holy scripture. I answere that it is most true, which saint Paul saith, that the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of God. 2. Cor. 2. It is true also that saint Peter sayth, 2. Pet. 1. that no prophecie in the scripture is of any priuate interpretation. But yet this obscuritie is not so great, but that the scriptures can expound them selues. And therfore doeth our Lord, and chiefe master Iesus, send vs to the scriptures, & to nothing else but to the scriptures. Search you the scriptures (sayth he. Ioan. 5. Luc. 16.) Abraham beeing required by the damned rich man to sende some one frō the dead, to admonish his brethren, which yet liued in his old house, answered thus, They haue (sayth Abraham) Moses, and the Prophets; If they will not beleeue them, they will not beleeue any that shall come to them from the [Page 53] dead. And howe did all those moste auncient and godly Christians before vs, which had among them only the scriptures of the Prophets, and Apostles, before that any commentarie, or explication was written vppon any of them by the olde writers? did they not then fetche all their light of the holy scripture onely? A Romish man will here drawe vs to receiue the traditions Apostolicall for a moste sure interpretation of the holy scripture; Traditions. And by Apostolicall traditions, he wil meane that, 1 which hath beene always receiued in the church; 2 through all the church; and by them all, 3 which haue beene of the church. But nowe who can assure vs, that these three pointes are to be founde in any of these traditions, which they do call Apostolicall traditions? I doe not knowe who can doe it. There is great diuersitie to be founde in the bookes, and writings of the auncient [Page 54] fathers; and that in some pointes touching faith. And againe, touching these wordes (alwayes) and (of all) let the Romish men tell vs, at what time wee shall begin the account of this (alwayes.) If wee will do well, wee must fetch the beginning of this time euen at the church Apostolike. And who shall be the firste in this account? verily the Apostles them selues must be the first that shal begin this account; the historie of whome is faithfully written by S. Luke; and by their owne writings wee must take knowledge of them, their doctrine and their doings? All trueth commeth of God; And God hath chosen his Prophets, and Apostles to speake in his name vnto vs all that trueth, which doeth appertaine to our saluation. Therefore wee must alwayes haue, and make our recourse to the holy scriptures. And yet wee doe not vtterly cast [Page 55] away the aduice of Councels, nor of the auncient fathers. Wee doe proue that, which they do saye, by the holy scriptures. The which holy scriptures (as Augustine doeth saye truely) are so tempered by the holy spirite of God, that that, which is obscurely spoken in one place, is clearely expressed in another place of them.
Some of the Romish rout haue sayd, that the whole wil of God, touching all that, which doeth appertaine to our saluation, is not all written by the Apostles and Euangelists. By this wicked, & false saying, they make an open way to bring in al that falsehood, error, & vntrueth, which men list to deuise. And it is the way, by which, Satan hath entred to destroy the vineyard of the Lorde, to sowe therein his darnell of damnation, and cockle, choking true doctrine, and Christian faith.
[Page 56]I graunt that before the time of Moses, God gouerned his church by heauenly visions, inspirations, and reuelations; But the Apostles planted the churches of God by his holy worde written. And the malice of men growing with the number of them; and the better sort of men decaying together with goodnes, it was y e good pleasure of the Lorde our God, that this doctrine shoulde be written in a tongue common, and knowen, by which plaine trueth, Gods children might receiue all that doctrin, which concerneth saluation, and might also withstand all subtilties creeping in vnder the couler of traditions, or reuelations, or custome, or other deuice of man whatsoeuer. Now if the doctrine of our saluation were written but in parte; how shal we do for y e rest which is wanting? Saint Iohn doth not speake so scantly of the holy scriptures, as these Romish mē do. [Page 57] For he saith that the thinges, Ioan. 20. which hee hath written, are written to this ende, that we beleeuing them, might haue life; that is, saluation, for that is life indeede. Then is there no other doctrine necessarie to saluation, but that, which is written in y e holy scriptures; And that which is written in the holy scriptures, suffiseth vnto saluation. Saint Paul teaching vs what the vse of the scripture is; teaching vs all (I say) in the person of his scholer Timothie, 2. Tim. 3. saith that they doe make the man of God (not onely euery faithful minister & Pastor, but euery faithful man) perfect and fully perfited. Then a mā nedeth not any vnwritten verity, or traditiō (as they are called) Apostolike. Yet I do not deny but that there haue beene alwayes vnwritten traditions, touching order, and manner of doing in the church; but not so in poyntes of doctrine touching faith and saluation. Nowe because men [Page 58] haue long time abused the name of tradition, we must learne to knowe which are traditiōs to be allowed, & receiued; and which are not to be allowed. This is easie to be done, if we will set before vs some pointes, & by them frame our iudgement. First we must put a iust difference betwen doctrine, and matter of rites, and orders of the church. In doctrine the Apostles deliuered, in the worde by them written, onely, and wholy all that which they had rceiued of the Lord. To this then I adde, that if the traditions offered to vs, be agreeable to the worde of God; and are meete, and fit for edifying, then are they to bee receiued. For this is a thing assured, that niether the Apostles, nor the true Pastors, did appoynt any orders, or maners of doing, which were either directly, or indirectly contrarie to the doctrine of the gospell; nor such as should turne any man neuer so little [Page 59] from y e seruice of God, which is spiritual. This being obserued of vs, it shal be easie for vs to discerne the doctrin frō traditions, and the false traditions frō the true. It was accompted with y e old father. Tertullian a very straunge thing, that any man should say that he had omitted to teach any thing (either by word of mouth, or by writing) of y t which doth apertain to our saluation. I will say further, y t all that, which y e Apostles did deliuer as traditiōs, in matter of order, rites, & maners of doing, are not to be kept perpetually. For according to the rule of charitie they ordeined touching the strangled, & not to eat blood; Act. 15.29. conforming their tradition herein to y e infirmitie of the Iewes. Some like thing may be noted in the doings of S. Paul in the person of Timothie; Act 16.3. Act. 18.18 yea and in him selfe also; which thinges can haue no place at this day, but onely in this, that the generall rule [Page 60] must be obserued, that wee must apply ourselues to the commoditie, & profite of our neighbour, in those thinges which are indifferent. The like thinges may bee gathered touching the traditions and manners of doing, which they applyed to their time; As where he speketh of kissing; and of hauing the heade vncouered in signe of authoritie; 1. Cor. 16. 1. Cor. 11. which are thinges contrarie to the manner of doinges in these dayes in many coū tries, where men woulde count it very straunge, that men shoulde kisse one an other; or that a man should kisse any womā, other than his own wife. And also to speake at this day with the head bare, and vncouered, is a signe, and token of subiection & not of authoritie. All these thinges are well to be considered, before wee doe receiue any custome, or tradition as Apostolike. For the name of the Apostles is not to bee abused to [Page 61] trouble the Church in any thing; as it was abused in the controuersie about the keeping of the day of the Pasque, which wee call Easter; And likwise when some abused the name of the Apostles, and the authoritie of the Church of Hierusalem, Actes. 15. labouring vnder this pretence to mingle Iudaisme with Christianisme, as it is written in the Actes of the Apostles: There it was ordeined that the consciences of men shoulde not be charged with any such yoke. Wee can not thinke therfore that the Apostles did inuent so many ceremonies, as are nowe vsed; in the obseruation of which is set the forgiuenes of sinnes, and merites. For they haue plainely protested the contrarie; neither woulde they giue place to the ceremonies of Moses, of which God him selfe was the author. Long agoe did Augustine complayne of the multitude of ceremonies, Ep. ad Ianuarium. and humayne [Page 62] traditions brought into the Church. But what would he haue saide, if hee had liued in such a time as ours is? To be short therefore, we do require that the holy scriptures, which are in this point most plain & cleare, may guide vs to discerne betweene the traditiōs which are good, and which are badd; holy, and prophane; hurtful, and profitable; necessarie, and superfluous. These thinges being decided, it shall be easie to determine this question touching traditions; and so wee may come to touch a seconde question, which is dropped downe to vs from Rome; Whether the church be aboue the scriptures. that is, whether the church bee aboue the scriptures; which is as vnhandsome a question, as if one should aske, whether the child be aboue the father; the scholer aboue the schole-master; the wife aboue the husbande, or man aboue God. But indeede the true church of Christ will not in this matter make any quarrel against god. [Page 63] For if it shoulde, it shoulde fall in the quarrell, and be condemned. It is to no purpose, to say that y e church was before the scriptures. For though it were so, yet the word of God is more auncient than the church. For by the worde the Church is conceiued, engendred, made, & named y e church. That which doeth ingender, is before the thing that is ingendred; as the father, and mother are, and haue their beeing before the childe. Some will alleadge, the saying of Augustine, I shoulde not beleeue the scriptures, if the authoritie of the Church did not moue me. In that place Augustine speaketh of himselfe, as he was when he was a Manichee. When two contrary parts shal fal into debate touching the truth of an Instrument, or writing, to whō shall they haue recourse, but to the Notarie, which keepeth the recorde? But yet it will not bee saide that the writinge is grounded vppon [Page 64] the authoritie of the Notarie, for that the recorde is true, although no man liuing doe beare witnesse thereof. So I aunswere them, which doe thinke that the holy scripture is not otherwise founded, but vppon the determination of the church. This verily were a feeble, & a slender ground. For we shal find y e determinations of councells, which are called the church representatiue, one contrarie to an other; as by conference of them together it will appeare. Herevnto I will adde this reason, Iesus Christe is hee, whome all the true Prophetes honoured (for as their Lorde he did send thē) and yet they are not aboue him, but he aboue them, notwithstā ding he doth approue his doctrin by their testimonies. S. Paul suffereth y e Bereites to do y e like with his doctrin. Act. 17. S. Peter prayseth greatly this kinde of doing. 2. Pet. 1.19. Therefore they, which doe call themselues the Vicars of Iesus [Page 65] Christ, & the successors of Saint Peter, and Paul, may not refuse this condition. To this purpose serueth that, which Hierome writeth; We must not (sayth he) followe the errours of fathers, nor of auncestours; But wee must follow the authorite of the holy scriptures. And Chrysostome writing vppon the 14. Lib. 2. in lir. cap. 9. chapter of the gospell of Sainte Mathewe, saith: That hee, which will knowe which is the true Church of Christ, when thinges are in confusion through likelihoode, hee must knowe it by the scriptures. And in the same place vppon these wordes: Hom. 49. (Let them, which are in Iurie, flee vnto the mountaines) he saith, Let them, which are in the christianitie, retire, and drawe them selues to the holy scriptures. For when the time is such, that heresie doeth possesse the Churches so, that one cannot haue by; or in the church, any sure or certaine tryall, to prooue which is true christianitie, there can bee no other refuge to such christians, as are desirous [Page 66] of the christian faith, but only to the scriptures. whosoeuer then will not know which is the true church of Christe, how shal he know it, but only by the holy scriptures? (saith this ancient father.) Againe he saith, The Lord knowing that great confusion should come in the later dayes, doth commaund that the christians, which doe desire to take some holde of true faith, should haue their refuge to nothing, but to the holy scriptures. For otherwise if they will haue regard to other thinges, they shall be offended, and perishe, not vnderstāding which is the true church; and so shall fall into the abhomination of desolation, which wil hold it self in the holy place of the Church. An other olde greek writer ( Basil I do meane) in the nienth Summe of his moralls, Cap. 22. saith, If all that which is not of faith, be sinne (as the Apostle saith) and faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God then all that which is out of the diuine, & holy scripture, is sinne. Againe in a [Page 67] Sermon, which hee maketh of the confession of faith, If God be faithfull in all his purposes, and his cōmandementes be sure for euer, being done in trueth and right, it is manifestly to turne from the faith, and a sinne of pride, to throwe any thing away of that which is written, or to bring in any thing, which is not written. Thus much in answere to that, which our Romish rufflers do bellowe for their church, the power, and glorie thereof; And to shewe what a christian may and ought safely to thinke of the church, and how to giue humble credit to the holy scriptures, and to giue to them their due authoritie.
To this Oration made, and pronounced in y t Colloquie had at Poyssi, by that singular instrument, and seruant of God Theodore Beza, y e Papistes and their capitayne the Cardinall did not reply. For I thinke they had not the hartes to withstand the trueth. [Page 68] Yea they were so far from denying of it, that euen then, and there, their chiefe doctor Despense was, in approbation thereof, content to saye, that hee did allowe that in generall, which was sayde in this Oration of the church; and saide that hee had alwayes taken this for a wicked blasphemie that some doe say, that The church is aboue the holy scriptures. But touching that, which was in this oration saide of the ordinarie succession of Pastors, hee was not yet fully satisfied. He added that he did not take the pastors of the Churches reformed by the Gospell to be lawfull ministers, because they had not the handes laide on them by the Bishops. To this the doctor was aunswered then, Impositiō of handes. and thus; That there are markes of the lawfull calling of Pastors; of which some are substantiall, and may not bee omitted; others may. Substantiall things not to bee omitted [Page 69] are these; 1 First that the person admitted into the ministerie bee appointed to doe that office, wich is enioyned the minister of Christ in his church by the worde of God; which is, to preach truely the doctrin of Iesus, and sincerely to administer y e holy sacramentes. 2 Agayne, that before his admission he bee tryed, and examined, howe fitt, and able hee is to doe this worke of the Lorde; and so he must by tryall be founde able in doctrine, and of a godly conuersation of life. 3 Thirdly that then hee be chosen to the office, by forme, and order of a lawefull election. But as touching imposition of hands, it doth concerne but an externe forme, and serueth as it were but to put him in possession, and vse of the holy ministerie; it doth not make him a minister; it is not of any such force. Hierome writing against the Luciferians, saith expressely, that the imposition [Page 70] of handes is not of necessitie prescribed by the law; but it is a certaine honour done to the priesthoode. Eliah, and Samuel did both of them sacrifice; and yet did not any of the ordinary priestes lay their handes on them. It may be further saide in answere, that if the romish maisters now wil needs haue vs to receiue impositiō of hands of them, or else they will not take vs to be lawfull ministers, they muste shew first that them selues are right, and lawfull ministers of the gospell of Iesus. But that they cannot do. For touching their institution, it is as strange, and vnknowne to the gospell, as was the institution of the priestes of Ieroboams calues strange to lawe of God. For the Romish priests are instituted to haue authoritie to offer sacrifice to God, and to say masse for the quick and the dead, as the Popes Pontifical beareth record, and that in y e name of the lord (say they.) But the Popish [Page 71] Pontificall doeth herein greatly abuse the name of the Lord. For the Lord God doeth not in the whole newe Testament ordeyne any such kinde of sacrifizing, or massing Priestes. And therefore the order of the Popish priesthood is as farre wide from the gospell, as the calues of Ieroboam were from the lawe of God; and his priestes frō the Lords priestes. Now in the execution of that office, which the Priestes in poperie pretende to haue, and to exercise, they doe likewise depart from the trueth. For they preach not the gospell of Iesus, but the deuises of men, contrarie to the doctrin of Iesus. They do not administer his holy sacraments according to Christes holy ordinance, but they do, forasmuch as in thē lieth, corrupt the sacrament of baptisme, & the administratiō thereof with their manifold, & very grosse ceremonies, thogh they leaue y e substāce of it vnchāged. [Page 72] And they do take vpon them boldly to change, (as they say) both the substance of the other sacrament; that is, of the bodie and bloode of Christ our Sauiour, and also the ende why it was ordeined; so that they doe not leaue vs of this holy sacrament neither the doctrine in truth, nor y e substance of it, nor the ende, and vse of it; as their deuises of the Transubstantiation, and sacrifice of their masse do declare to all the worlde. Therefore the imposition of the handes of Popishe Bishoppes, beeing them selues straungers to the gospel, is vtterly vnmeete for them which are called to do the office of a minister of the gospell. The olde true Priestes in the old Testament did not receiue imposition of handes of any of the Priestes of Baal, or other Idolatrous priests. In the Ecclesiasticall historie we do read of diuerse godly fathers, and Pastors, which woulde not receiue the imposition [Page 73] of handes of such Bishops as were heretikes. Neither truely ought the ministers of the gospell of Iesus seeke to haue anye imposition of handes of the popish priestes, or bastardly Bishops of Poperie, which are both Idolaters & heretikes. Surely this is not necessarie, neither were it comely. The ministers and preachers of the gospell, they haue this good testimonie of their vocation. 1 First, that they are called to preache the gospell. 2 Then they haue ben examined, & tryed by those, to whome the gouernement of the church is in those matters committed. 3 Thirdly, they are found meete for the vocation, and chosen to it. 4 Last of all, they are with solemne prayers admitted into the charge, and put in possession of it; admitted, and accepted of the people. And this is of force sufficient in trueth to proue the lawfulnes of their ministerie, and sufficiencie [Page 74] of their calling. They need not oyle; no not y e consecrated oyle, to which the Popish Bishops doe attribute a maruellous vertue of consecrating, and blessing. They neede not the blind blessing of any of the popish Bishops; no more than they neede y e shearing, or shauing of their crownes, which toyes are the cognisance of the sworne soldiers of those Bishops which are the tryed peticaptaines of the Pope, the very priestes of Baal. Those two horned beasts do, among them of Rome, take on them onely the authoritie to lay on handes. Let them, if they wil, lay their hands on them in their popish priesthood, which are like to them selues. On the ministers of the gospell, which haue nothing like to them in the ministerie of it, their handes are not to be layde. Esr. 4.2. The restorers of Hierusalem woulde not receiue the offered helpe of their neighbours, which [Page 75] were mockers of their labours, and enemies to it. And shall wee then seeke your helpe, (ô you Papistes) or receiue your profered seruice to helpe vs forwarde in the worke of the Lorde committed to vs? No, no; ye are deadly enimies to the worke of the Lorde, and mockers of it. Therefore wee will not admit your handes to be layde on vs. If the Lorde of his mercy shall turne the hearts of any of the popish clergie, and giue them grace to loath their order, and giue them a desire to serue the Lorde Iesus in the ministerie of his holy gospell, and the church shall neede their seruice, let them come to vs to be tryed, and examined of vs, and if they be founde meete, and the church haue neede of their seruice; they shall receiue of vs imposition of handes.
And where is that commission giuen, whereby the popish Bishops [Page 76] alone do claime the authoritie to lay on their vnholy hands vpon the hoministers of the gospell? Truely, neither can wee finde it in the olde, nor in the newe Testament. And in his time Hierome did write to one Euagrius, that the imposition of hands by the Bishop, as it was then vsed, was no ordinance of God, but onely a custome. Let the tryall of a true minister then not rest vpon custom, or encroching vnder the couer of ceremonies; but let it rest in the true substance of the ministerie; which is in doctrine, and doing the office of an Euangelicall minister. The Romish rulers wil driue vs to proue our calling either by doctrine, or by miracle. Touching doctrine, the word of God approueth our ministerie sufficiently: We neede not to auow the working of miracles; For the beleeuers of the doctrine, which is preached by vs, do proue it for vs, in [Page 77] that their vnfeigned conuersion to God is miraculously wrought in thē by the power of his worde. This doeth shewe forth the lawfull, faithfull, and fruitefull labour, to which we are called by the grace, and blessing of God. This is no strange matter, if you consider that, which Saint Paul saith to the Corinthians, that they by his preaching of the Gospell, and his ministerie in it, beeing called, and conuerted from idolatrie, to knowe and worship the lord God in trueth; from wickednesse to holinesse of life, were (as he sayth) the seales of his Apostleship in the Lord. 1. Cor. 9. And by what authoritie can they of Rome, who are most of all men out of rule, lay this lawe vppon the Lord our God, that he cannot, or shall not extraordinarily call at his pleasure any meet man to the ministerie of his holye worde, vnlesse the same man do first passe vnder their bastardly handes, & [Page 78] be approued of them, who are moste meete to be reproued of all other; as both by their institution, and execution it is proued. Therefore amend your selues (ô you hollowe hypocrites of Rome) and leaue your vniust carping of vs. Turne your wallet, and pull out the beame, that sticketh in your owne eyes. The Lorde amende you, if it be his holy will, & prosper the preaching of his holy gospel, by the ministerie of the ministers of the gospell for euer. Amen.